In the Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial, a mini Darth Vader finds he has the power to turn the car on (sort of). YouTube

February 4, 2011

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Football fans will be glued to their TV screens on Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers in the 45th Super Bowl. But, as ever, the action on the field will have to compete with the most creative (and expensive) commercials Madison Avenue can muster up for the occasion. Some of Sunday's commercials (or teasers for the real thing) have already made their way online. Here's a glimpse at 5 ads that are sure to get talked about:

1. The Force is strong with VolkswagenIn this commercial, already drawing millions of views on YouTube, a young would-be Darth Vader attempts to use his Jedi powers on a variety of household items, to little avail. But the pint-sized Sith Lord finally finds success with the family car. All we want to know, says The Wall Street Journal, is "how much moolah does George Lucas rake in for licensing his music to a Super Bowl commercial?" Take a look:

2. Audi teams up with Kenny GIn a riot-themed commercial for Audi's A8 sedan that may seem ill-timed given unfolding events in Egypt, saxophonist Kenny G stars as the warden of a "luxury prison." "I'm glad KG has a sense of humor about himself," says Patrick Jarenwattanonanon at NPR of the self-mocking spot. Here's a preview explaining exactly what goes on in the world's most sumptuous prison:

3. Hyundai's hypnotic spotHyundai will attempt to get car-buyers to "snap out of" preconcieved notions about compact cars in this "psychedelic" ad, one of three the automaker will broadcast during the Super Bowl. Jeff Bridges narrates, "sounding like his slacker character The Dude from The Big Lebowski," says Daniel Trotter at WTSP.com. Here's the "hypnotic" ad, in full:

4. Roseanne shills for SnickersAfter helping Betty White recapture the spotlight with last year's Super Bowl ad, Snickers is hoping to do the same for comedians Roseanne Barr and Richard Lewis. "It'll be tough to beat last year's performance," says Eleftheria Parpis at AdWeek. White's popular ad "helped reinvigorate the 89-year-old legend's career." Here's a preview:

5. Doritos' running pugDoritos asked fans to submit their own ads and has put the 10 most popular efforts to an online public vote; the winner will air during Sunday's game. The current "frontrunner," which has already garnered 1.4 million views on YouTube, is "Pug Attack," in which a man's cruel prank on his girfriend's dog backfires badly. This ad, made for $500, is the "hands-down funniest entry," says Tony Bridges at Examiner.com. Don't be surprised to see it pop up during Sunday's game.